


Avatar

by Iamanevilpillow



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Avatar!AU, BAMF Louis, BAMF Zayn, Fantasy, It's not really slow burn tho, M/M, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Smut, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 14:35:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8536891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamanevilpillow/pseuds/Iamanevilpillow
Summary: Liam Payne, ex- marine who is bound to a wheelchair, is brought to a planet called Pandora which is 437 light years away from earth.There he is told to spy on the natives, learn their ways and to make them trust him so that the humans can destroy their planet. But after Liam falls in love with not only the native's culture and planet but also with the beautiful native called Zayn, he desperately tries to stop the humans from destroying yet another planet.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my mother language. I apologize in advantage for any mistakes! :)  
> Disclaimer:  
> One direction / James's Cameron's Avatar do not belong to me!  
> This is pure fiction.  
> Hope you like it and enjoy!! :D  
> This work is not beta'd.

It was the 22nd century and earth had become a huge ball of pollution and smog, there was nothing left of the once green planet. Stunning plants that once covered the planet were gone, animals more fascinating and beautiful than life itself, have been erased from existence a long time ago. They were destroyed to fill the humans craving for energy. Earth was no longer blue-green or beauteous. It had evolved into a circular block of rock, exhaling venomous gases and facing its extinction hastily. All in all, earth was a shit place.

437 light years away, the ISV Venture Star torpedoed into its six-year journey to the Alpha Centauri System. Within the one mile long shuttle was an ex-marine named Liam Payne. Liam wasn't anything special, he got drunk every other night to forget his sorrows, and lived off his family. It’s still is a riddle to him why they chose him (it's not), but hey! They did. And now he's here, even though he never wanted to, because you know, his brother James should be here instead of him.

James would know what to expect and what to do. He was trained for this, this was his dream not Liam’s. They say that nothing can stop you if you really want it, that you'll always achieve what you've dreamed of. If you just work hard enough for it. Well, James did work hard enough for it, but sometimes you don't achieve your dreams because something gets in your way. Which in James chase, was a man with a gun, who ended his life for the money in his pockets. Liam glanced around at his surroundings. The ship was a grimy shade of white. Left to him seemed to be an endless corridor, to his right: nothing but another, melancholy grey corridor. With thoughts whirring within his mind Liam settled into his cryovault base and thought about what lay before him. He thought about his brother, James, and how he'd come to be on his way to a new star system.

Liam was on a journey to a distant moon called Pandora. It was surreal to him. "I'm on my way to another planet." He thought to himself. "Me of a people." He glanced within the cryovault, the place he would be sleeping in for the next six years. The cryovault looked confident and reminded him of the planet which lay behind. He inhaled and closed his eyes as he opened them again Marcus was above him strapping him down. Marcus was one of the RDA staff on the vessel, kind of like an air hostess for the journey. Liam smiled as he pictured Marcus in an air hostess' getup "What you smiling at Payne?" Marcus questioned as he finished buckling in the straps. "Oh, nothing you should worry about." Liam chuckled. Marcus gave him a funny look. "Whatever Payne. Anyway, got to get you into cryosleep. We're off in about two seconds, so get your head down.", he said whilst pushing Liam's head backwards into the cushion of the cryovault base. "Sweet dreams." The machine beeped and started sliding inward. After a few seconds Liam drifted swiftly into undisturbed sleep.

 

 

  
  


	2. Pandora

Five years, nine months and twenty-three days later….

 

You don’t dream in cayo. It doesn’t feel like you’ve been sleeping for six years at all, it feels more like a hangover after a wild night out with the boys. Liam’s eyes snapped open, he blinked and tried to refocus. The first thought that went through his head was, "Where the hell am I? “Two water drops were floating in front of his face, he shifted and abruptly everything came flooding back to him. He shifted again, he was in straps probably for safety so he wouldn’t go and fly off because of the lack of gravity. He looked around the cryvovault, as suddenly a screeching sound came from above his head, he then felt the cryovault move outwards and once again Marcus was above him. "We there yet?“ Liam croaked, his throat dry. Marcus checked his pulse and examined his eyes. "We’re there sunshine. We’re there. “Marcus replied, he patted Liam’s shoulder and then he was off to check on the other passengers. Liam couldn’t believe that they were there already, it hadn't feel like six years at all, more like a long night’s sleep.

Venture Star had finally arrived at Pandora, the only other planet known to humans other than earth, to be populated by a humanoid race. Unhooked from the machinery Liam floated up to his locker with the initials “Payne J.” which was just a reminder for Liam that his brother should be here instead of him. “You've been in Cryo for five years, nine months and twenty-two days. You will be hungry. You will be weak. If you feel nauseous, please use the sacks available. The staff thank you in advance", one of the RDA staff hollered. Liam didn’t take notice.

He was recalling the week before he had been shipped out, the day he'd been informed about James’s death... Liam was thrown out of a bar, the bouncers guffawing at his pitiful state. He was in a street of litter and grossing, murky water but he wasn't concerned. “I hope you realise you’ve just lost yourself a customer” he exclaimed, the smile broadening on his face. 

He looked up into the vivid colours of the city. Public transport humming above him. Liam lay there, soaking in the sordid puddle of water. Two men in black suits emerged from the shadow of the alleyway. They walked to Liam, stopped before him and peered down at him. “Doesn’t look like him.” One of them muttered whilst looking down at some glass card, with someone’s face on it. “It’s him” the other one muttered “You Liam Payne?” Liam wasn't sure if he should answer them, since they could be after him for some stupid shit he had pulled when he was drunk, but he nodded anyway.

The next thing Liam knew was that they were in a cremation centre. The room was grey and employees where wheeling down card boxes, in which the corpses were, waiting to be burned. Liam was on his wheelchair cautiously following the two men who had just picked him up. The taller one of the two called out “We’re looking for Payne.” An older employee told them to follow him.They approached a box and the employee elevated the box lid. Inside was a black covering. A shiver ran down Liam’s back, the employee opened the zipper of the black covering. There lay a man, whom looked exactly like Liam. James, his twin brother had been killed for the money he had in his pockets.

After a few seconds of silence the taller man spoke up “Your brother represented a significant investment. We would like to talk to you about taking over his contract. “ He explained. "And since your DNA is identical to his you could step into his shoes..." "It would be a fresh start in a new world. You could do something good- “ Liam registered their preaching as his brother's corpse was rolled into a furnace. “- and the pay is good. Very good.”

The door to the chamber closed agonisingly slowly and Liam watched as the employee pressed the furnace ignition button. Through the window of the furnace. Liam watched the chamber rapidly erupt into a torrent of burning flames. The cardboard and his brother burning till there was nothing left of his brother but ashes. Liam observed quietly with unblinking eyes. There were no tears, as he watched he thought about the suits offer. James was the scientist not him. He’s just another idiot roaming this world.

Liam and the other passengers were now brought onto the Valkyrie Shuttle. The Valkyrie was nearly twenty times smaller than the ISV Venture Star, so, unlike the Venture Star, it was able to land on the upcoming planet. The plane shuttled through Pandora’s Atmosphere, flying over thick green forest. There were no windows on the ship, everyone was eager to get a glance at the new world. 

Liam Payne sat in a row with other soldiers looking around aimlessly. Everything was quiet, nobody knew anyone so what was there to talk about anyway? Liam didn’t care. He wasn’t in the mood for talking anyway.

Suddenly the venture crew commander was up on his feet blaring orders. “Exopacks on, always have your exopacks on! Remember if you lose that mask, you’ll be unconscious in twenty seconds and dead in four minutes. Nobody dies on me today! That would be very bad on my report.” Liam applied his exopack and prepared himself for the landing as were the others.

The commander told them that when the ramp comes down they should immediately run into the base. When they landed and the ramp of the ship came down, everybody took his bag and ran outside into the new world and straight into the base. Everyone expect Liam, he had to go last because of his wheelchair. When everyone was finally gone, Liam mounted himself on his wheelchair and slung his backpack onto his shoulders.

"Come special case! Don't make me wait for you! “ The commander barked at Liam as he wheeled himself down the ramp and off the ship. Liam had expected more, it was unimpressive. Liam had expected it to not be like the planet he had just left behind, but Liam guessed that he was wrong about that. It looked the same as any military base back on earth. An AMP suit passed him and Liam swerved out of its way. “Look out where you’re going!” The man inside the suit shouted after Liam.

Back on earth the present RDA soldiers were army dogs, marines, fighting for their freedom. But on Pandora they were just hired guns, working for the company. Guzzling on the money. A large vehicle trolled before Liam, it was humungous. He braked and waited for the machine to pass. He noticed an array of arrows protruding from the wheels, the tips of the feathers were vividly coloured. He examined them as they rolled away with the wheels.

"Guess there's more to this place than meets the eye”


	3. Chapter 3

All the newcomers were brought into a meeting area in Hell’s Gate. Hell’s Gate was an enormous camp where they were stationed. Tall buildings, such as the biology laboratory, were surrounded by an enormous boundary fence with guard towers scattered all around. Soldiers were sourcing the edges of the forest nearby for any kind of threat. There were many threats for humans, not only the Na’vi but also the gigantic weird animals who lived in the forest. Most of them were not peaceful. The animals looked nothing like the ones who had once been on earth, they were covered in weird patterns, and most of them had more body parts than they needed to have. But who was Liam to judge?

The colonel, a man with three ugly scars covering half of his face, was about to start his lecture, about the hazards Pandora brought with it, as Liam wheeled into to meeting area. The colonel briefly glanced at him and then proceeded to finally start his lecture.

“You are not in Kansas anymore! - “he began with a deep voice. “-You are on Pandora! Ladies and Gentlemen. Respect that fact every second of every day.” he observed the newcomers while he talked, his footsteps were echoing threatening around the room. “If there’s a Hell you might want to go there for your next holidays after a tour on Pandora.” Quartic, which was the colonels’ name pointed his right index finger beyond the shaded window. Outside the shaded window you could see the big boundary fence, beyond that fence was the forest of Pandora.

“Out there beyond that fence every living thing that crawls, flies or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat you for breakfast.” Quartic paused and turned back to the seating crowd, observing their reaction with a stern look on his face. “We have an indigenous population of humanoids called the Na’vi. They’re fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that will stop your heart in under a minute. They have bones reinforced with naturally carbon fibre. They are very hard to kill.”

He stopped his pacing around the room and once again looked at the newcomers, then spoke “It is my job to keep you alive.” He paused. “I won’t succeed. Not with all of you” His pacing started again. “If you wish to survive, you have to obey to the rules. Pandora rules. Rule number one….”

Liam zoned out after that, gazing into the dangerous forest which lay before him.

  


**

  


When the lecture was thankfully finally over. Liam started to wheel himself towards the science lab. The science lab was where he would stay and work at for the next six years. Even though he had no plan what the people here were really doing. But hey, he will figure it out, hopefully. He realised as he looked around was that all the walls and rooms were all painted in the same gloomy grey. ‘Guess they don’t really have a thing for colour here’ Liam chuckled to himself.

“Liam” he heard someone shout behind him. The stranger who called out his name sidled up to him, Liam braked and looked up at the person he didn’t know but knew him. The man who stood before him wasn’t really tall, he would be smaller than Liam. If Liam were still able to stand up, that is. The man was skinny, had blonde hair, deep blue eyes, which seemed too big for his face, and a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. All in all, he was pretty.

“Are you Liam? Liam Payne?” the man asked. Liam nodded. “James brother?” Liam nodded once again. “Wooow! You look just like him. Probably because you were twins…but that doesn’t matter now. Hi! I’m Niall. Niall Horan, I’m from Ireland, Mullingar in chase you wanted to know, and I went to Avatar training together with him. James, I mean” the blonde man, Niall explained. “Ehm…Hi Neil I guess.” Liam chuckled. Niall chuckled too “You pronounced it wrong, it’s Niall. N-I-A-L-L.”

‘Seems like a funny guy’ Liam thought and smiled one of his crinkly smiles. He tried to pronounce Niall’s name right this time, but failed. "Sorry", Liam muttered.

“It’s alright, just call me Ni, like my friends do” Niall said excitedly. Liam grinned “So we're friends now, or something?” he asked, bemused with Niall. Niall scoffed “Yes, you know my name. I know your name. We’re friends now. And I can tell you a thing once we’re friends you’ll never get rid of me, or maybe you will but that will be hard.” Liam smiled, laughed a belly laugh. He honestly didn’t really want to get rid of Niall. As Liam and Niall were done with chatting, they went into a room full of people and beeping machines. “We are in the Bio-lab” Niall introduced cheerfully. Niall, didn’t look like someone who was into science and that stuff.

“We’re going to be here a lot, just sad that they don’t have good food around here.” Niall sulked. They looked around, and Liam heard Niall say something like “Oh there’s the Link room! That’s the room we will be connecting with our Avatars- “Liam wasn’t listening to Niall anymore - something had caught his eye.

Niall noticed this and followed Liam.

Liam was captivated by the thing that brought him here. He had taken James’ place in a science project where he was to drive a remotely controlling body called an Avatar. They were created by mixing human DNA with the DNA of the natives. Liam was lost in his thoughts when a scientist, with dark blonde hair came strolling up to him and Niall.

“Hi! Welcome to Pandora. It’s good to have you! My name is Luca!” the scientist smiled, flashing his perfect white teeth. He and Liam shook hands.Liam gazed at the body which was floating in a blue substance, within the amnio tanks.

“Damn, they got big” Liam heard Niall mutter. Luca beamed “Yes they did! They fully developed on the flight out. The proprioceptive seems to work good too, the muscle tone is good too. A few hours and they are ready to go. You will be able to test them out tomorrow.” Luca told them, and fiddled with a touchscreen which was located above the glass canister.

He pointed across the room at another amnio tank.

“Liam that one’s yours.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy ! :D

Liam followed Luca's finger, there next to Niall's Avatar was James'. Liam wheeled himself over to the amnio tank. 

Niall followed him and observed Liam while he studied the creature, it was big, it sure was twice the size of Liam. The body was an astounding blue, striped with sapphire. It had long black hair, which was plaited down to its waist. 

The face was something different, its nose was unmistakable that of a tiger or a cat. The ears reminded Liam of a cat too, they were long and the tips pointed. The body was connected to a long, sapphire tail, which was tipped with black hair. 

The eyes were closed. All in all, it reminded Liam of a cat in human form, only much bigger than a human and blue. 

Even though it was an alien, Liam could still make out some of his brothers features, like the plumb lips and round cheeks. Liam was stunned that was just, wow!  
"Looks like him" Liam stated.

  
Niall laid a hand on his shoulders and squeezed them, reassuringly. "No," he smiled, looking at Liam "it looks like you."

  
"Aww, you're a sap, you know that?" "No, It's true!" Niall took a hold of Liam's wheelchair and turned him around, so they were face to face. "That's your Avatar now Liam." He disputed, poking Liam in the chest. Liam stuck his tongue out at him, while Niall laughed at his stupid face. 

They stood there for a moment, watching the body twitch before moving on.

  
***

  

"And the concept is that every driver is matched to his own Avatar, so that their nervous systems are in tune, or something like that..." Liam mumbled into the RDA camera which was situated in front of him. He sighed before carrying on. "So that's basically why they offered this to me, because first, this is expensive as hell. And second I can link with James' Avatar, because we are, no we were twins and they said that our DNA is almost the same...."

  
He turned around to Niall and Luca, who were discussing something he didn't care nor give a shit about.

"Guuuuyyysss, do I really have to do this? Like it's totally awkward and I'd rather just stare at my creepy alien form some more, or read some comics..." he whined. Niall chuckled, pushing his glasses - which were just about to fall off - up.

'That would have been funny. Wonder if Niall would run into a wall, without his glasses.' Liam thought.

  
“Yes Liam, you have to do this -" Luca stated "and don't worry, we're going to meet Dr. Gray soon. " 

"Yeah! And besides it helps you not to go insane in the next six years or soo.... y’know? We need to document everything, for science and such. Just tell the lovely camera here what you last ate or the last time you had a good wank. Wait, can you even wank? Like does your dick even work anymore?" Niall asked.

  
Liam turned back around, ignoring Niall and his stupid questions. He looked at the monitor which was beside the camera. It was showing everything the camera was recording, so to put it short it was showing his face.

He stared directly into the camera and began talking "So like I don't know? Six years ago, I had some Chinese, it was really good..."

Whilst Liam was telling the camera, the fascinating story of how he first got to see a Tiger at the Zoo, there was stirring across the bio-lab. The link room to be exact. The link room was, like everything else, a sterile grey room. Many machines, and coffin like boxes decorated the room. The machines started to beep and whir as the coffin like boxes- the links- started to slide outwards. Someone shouted, “They are coming out!”

Lab assistances hurried to the links, their fingers were skimming over the computers next to every link. The links unsealed, one girl ran off in a hurry, as if she feared the person who was going to come out of the link. The link next to her revealed a woman, she had short brown hair which didn't even reach her ears.

“Oh god” the woman groaned as she sat up. Someone brought the woman her lab coat. The woman threw her coat over her shoulder and shouted “Gum! Someone bring me some gum!”

Someone brought the woman her gum and she seemed satisfied.

In the other half of the bio-lab Liam was just shutting off the camera, as Niall came bouncing onto him, knocking his breath away.

“Dude what the fuuck, get off me you’re heavier than you look mate!” he groaned. Niall beamed and hit him playfully. “Guess who we’re going to meet now!” “Who?” “Dr. Jay Gray” Niall squealed excitedly. “Who’s that?” Liam asked, and chuckled at the name. Niall got off him, a shocked expression on his face. “HELLOOO?? I mean- “

“Hey Guys we should get going if you still want to meet her.” Luca interrupted.

Niall squealed and clapped his hands together while jumping up and down, like a little kid. The three of them made their way over to the link room.

“So, Liam, first Dr. Jay Gray is a legend! She’s the head of the Avatar Program, she wrote; she literally wrote the book on Pandoran botany. And she loves plants, like really fucking loves them, she likes them more than humans.” Niall finished his rant, waving around nervously with his hands.

After some walking the three of them were circling the centre of the link room. Before them stood Jay, all covered in white lab coat and chewing on some gum. Luca smiled at her “Here she is, Jay- “he pointed at Liam and Niall. “I’d like you to meet Niall Horan and Liam Payne. “Luca introduced them.

She hummed, then she chewed her gum and studied them both. She seemed to recognize Niall and replied “Niall, I heard some very good things about you. How´s your Na’vi?”, she asked.

“ _May the All Mother smile upon our first meeting.”_ Niall smiled while replying in Na’vi. Na’vi is the language that the indigenous of Pandora conversed with. Grace seemed pleased. “ _Not bad. But you sound a little too formal, we’ll work on that._ ” Liam watched them. He had no clue what they were talking about since he himself didn't speak Na'vi. He hadn't even known about Avatars before James died. Did he want to know what they were talking about? Nahh. Jay and Niall were still chatting as Luca interrupted Jay “Ahem this here is Liam. Liam Payne.”

 Jay turned to, a seemingly bored Liam, he had an uninterested look on his face. As he finally caught up with the fact that Jay was staring at him he held his hands politely out to her. Jay scoffed. “I know who you are, and I will tell you one thing. I do not need you here. I need your brother. “She looked at Luca as if she wanted to strangle him. Liam lowered his hands. “You know Luca? The guy who trained three years for this?” She looked back at Liam.

“He is dead.” He told her, with a completely straight face. Jay winced and thought for a moment. “How many lab training have you had?”

Liam thought about this question for quite some time then replied with “In middle school. I dissected a frog once.” He hoped that it would annoy her. And it did. Jackpot!

She glowered at him before spitting at Luca “See! You see this! I mean they are fucking pissing at us!” She turned and muttered “I’m going to Selfridge. “

Luca tried to stop her “No Jay I don’t really think that’s a good- ““Shut up! This is fucking bullshit! I am going to take his golf club and shove it up his ass so far that it comes out of his fucking mouth!” She roared, while she thundered out of the solitary door. Luca sighed, he knew that it was to no use anyway. He turned to an amused Liam and a shocked Niall. “Come on guys, I’ll show you the rest of the place, and Liam please try to use big words tomorrow.” Liam laughed. “I will do my best.”

“The poor golf club.” Liam heard Niall mumble. He started to cackle loudly “You like golf?” he asked Niall as he wiped at his eye. “I love it, more than Jay loves plants.” Niall chuckled. “That’s a lie.” “It is my friend it is.”

They were both laughing as they followed Luca.

 


	5. Chapter 5

After Luca had shown them the rest of the bio-lab, the canteen, the military station, the gym, and all the other rooms. They were brought to their dorm. Two beds were inside the room, a little table and two chairs next to a white coloured wall, next to the table were two closets, one for Niall and one for Liam. There was also a metal door which led to a bathroom. Liam figured they had one because he was in a wheelchair. The room wasn’t too big, just the right size for both of them.

  


The both of them started to put the things they brought along with them away. They finished rather soon; it didn’t take long cause they both hadn’t brought along much. Liam only brought clothes and a picture of James and him, when they were children and still happy. He really didn’t want any more reminders of the world he had left behind. Niall also brought some pictures and a little toy, which Liam was told wasn’t his but his nephews.

  


After they were done inspecting, their new home, they were both lying on their bed staring up at the ceiling. Liam’s wheelchair stood beside his bed. Niall wanted to help him onto the bed, but Liam insisted that he didn’t need any help. Just because he couldn’t walk didn't mean he was weak, now was he? Sure, he missed his legs (or more so the ability to walk). He’d do anything to get his legs back, to be able to run and play football again. But you can’t have everything.

  


He knew that, but that didn’t stop him from having at least a little bit of hope.

  


“So- “Niall turned his head to look at Liam. “tell me something about you. Tell me your story" "What do you mean? The story of my life?" Niall nodded "Yeah y'know your life story, what you've been up to before you came here." Liam sighed, fumbling with his hands "There's really not much to tell... I was born on the 29th August in Wolverhampton. I was born dead and I only have one kidney, I was sick a lot " he laughed. His friend frowned, it was kind shocking to him, Liam seemed so strong and buff? And to hear that he was born dead, was kind of a shocker.

  


“And well I spent most of my life in the hospital, you know because I had problems with my kidney and we didn’t’ have much money to buy one. It was really stressful for me, but James always went along with me. -” His voice wobbled “like every time I had to go he came along. I once asked him why he did it, I mean he could have stayed at home or met his friends. But he didn’t. He told me that he did it because I’m his little brother and I was more important. And that’s also a reason why he wanted to become a scientist, but that’s another story. Well when I was around 15 my condition got better, the doctors told me that I was finally able to do sports, and I started boxing. I got a second kidney when I was 18, started to party and ‘lived my life’. While I did that, James was off to college to study. I joined the army, bla bla, I lost my legs while we were bombed. I got depressed and such, drank and drank. My family didn’t want anything to do with me. And the next thing I know is that my brother is dead. It’s funny because I was the soldier and he was the scientist and he was the one to die first. I mostly agreed to do this- to come here- because of him. Because you know- “, he gulped, his throat felt so dry. It was hard for him to talk about his life - he looked over at Niall, he expected Niall to pity him or something but he didn’t. Liam was glad for that. “- I feel like I owe him that.”

  


Niall nodded “Well I didn’t expect this, to be honest, I thought you were plain ol' boring.” He cackled. Liam threw his pillow at his face. “You’re not getting that pillow back! Its mine now!” Niall cackled as he cached the pillow.

  


“Yeah, yeah whatever, so tell me something about you now. I wanna know everything.” Liam wiggled his eyebrows.

 

 

**

  


Jay was on her way to Peter Selfridge’s offices, she hated Peter he just couldn’t let her be. She clenched her fist as she entered the room outside of his office. It was flooded with people but in her fury, she only had eyes for the little man with a golf club in his hands. The bloke stood upon a green carpet. At the end of the carpet was a coffee mug.

  


“Peter”, she said as she approached him. “Jay” he muttered whilst he aimed and took a shot, the ball zipped down the carpet and just as it was about to enter the mug, Jay kicked it away “Sorry” her words were laced with sarcasm. “I need a researcher, Peter. Not some dropout.”

  


Peter sighed and looked at her, immediately knowing that she was talking about Payne. “Jay, I thought we were lucky with him. “Lucky? How the fuck is this lucky?!” “Lucky that your guy had a twin brother. “He made his way over to the centre table. “We can use him, he’s a marine. He will be a security escort for you guys. “

  


“I don’t need another ‘trigger-happy’ moron out there. One is enough.” Jay made her way over to Peter. He stood before the holograph table, a map of Pandora was hovering over the table, his eyes fixated onto it. He skimmed the area, looking for something. “You and your 'scientists' are supposed to win the hearts and the minds of the natives.”, he growled, impatient. “That’s the part of your puppet-show? If you look like them and talk like them, they will start to trust us.”

  


Jay sighed. “We built them a school and taught them English- but relations with the natives are only getting worse.” She scoffed. “Yeah well that tends to happen when you shoot at them." They scowled at each other for a brief moment before Peter ordered her to follow him. He led her into his office and grabbed a little grey stone. “This- “he pointed at the stone in his hand “- is why we are here. Unobtanium. Because this little grey stone sells for twenty million a kilo” His eyes were wide with annoyance. “This is the only reason.” He stressed “It’s what pays for this whole party here, ok? It’s what pays for your science.” Jay rolled her eyes, pressing her lips together in annoyance.

  


“Comprendo? Now those wildings! They are threatening this whole operation.” Jay hoped that the Na’vi will chase them away, and that her kind will finally start to see. Many things have changed since the 21st century, almost everything, except for one thing, humans were still blind and refused to see. She hoped that the Na’vi would chase them away because what they’re doing here is just plain wrong. She understands them. They are protecting what is theirs. They are trying to stop the humans from destroying their planet.

  


“We’re literally, literally - “Peter throws his hands in the air, frustrated. “on the brink of a war, and you - “he points his finger at Jay “- are meant to be finding a diplomatic solution.” Jay had to disapprove with him, it’s not her fault that they don’t understand that shooting at them, and robbing them of their planet won’t make them trust them. She didn’t show any reaction to Peters speech. Jay is strong minded but so was Selfridge. “So, you, dear Doctor Gray - “he placed the stone onto the table and marched towards her “should really consider doing something cause, you and your – let’s call it 'project' will be to no use anymore when we’re in war. And I won’t hesitate to shut everything, that you and your people do, down.” That bastard smirked.” I will send you all back home. And that bio-lab will be used for the military station, so use what you’ve got, and get me some fucking results.” He strode towards his table and sat down on his chair, dismissing her. She left.

 

  
**

  


“Wake up, sleepyhead!” “One more minute” “You said that twenty minutes ago” Niall groans, sits up, and rubs his eyes. “Alright I’m up…I am up...” he mumbles, his voice coated with sleep. “C’mon Ni, Hurry uuppp!” Liam whined. “Alright, alright!” Niall threw a shirt and some pants on, he stumbled when Liam threw a sandwich at him and exclaimed that this was going to be his breakfast.

  


“You don’t need to brush your teeth today.” Liam yanked Niall from the bathroom and shoved him at the already open door. “Woah dude! How did you do that? “ “With my hands, you dumbass” Niall scoffed and ran after Liam.

  


**

  


“You guys are late” “Yeah well someone” Liam looks at Niall “didn’t want to get up” Niall just shrugs and sends Luca an apologetic look. “Well it’s no problem” Luca gives them a smile “Just follow me, and Liam, please, try to behave.” “I always behave. I’ve got manners.” Luca gives him a nod, and turns around.

  


Liam was excited to do this. What was it going to be like? Would his legs work? Would it hurt? Well Liam couldn’t give any more thoughts to it because he was already spotting a seemingly furious Dr. Gray. Liam didn’t care, he knew that Jay didn’t like him or even approved of him. She wasn’t really good at hiding it or she wanted Liam to know that she didn’t like him.

  


“How much link time have you logged?” Liam heard her ask. Niall straightened his back and answered her, proud “About 520”. Jay seemed impressed and gave him a smile “That’s fantastic. Your link is over there.” She pointed to a link, and Niall scurried off to it, she turned to Liam “So how much time have you logged?” “Zip, but I’ve read the manual.” He answered coolly, peeping at the link. “Well at least you can read.” He heard her mutter. Liam nodded, Jay turned away from the computer system, which was beside the link. She knew that Liam was trouble, she watched him as he stabbed his index finger in the jelly-like substance that cushioned the base of the link. “Wow that’s cool.”

  


Jay chuckled “Yeah it’s cool now hop” She nodded at the link. Next to them Niall hoped into the link. Liam followed suit and heaved himself out of the wheelchair and onto the link, his muscles tensing on his arms. Jay bent over to help him with his limp legs, but Liam refused her help. Jay backed away, and turned back to the computers.

  


“So, you figured you would come out here- “she started “to the most hostile environment known to man, with no training whatsoever- and see how it will go?” The hole in which the link would disappear began to whir, Liam tilted his head back to see, the outer rim was spinning incredibly fast. “What was going through your head?” Liam glanced at Jay and let out a sigh “Maybe I was tired of people telling me what I couldn't do. “Jay nodded and pushed his body backwards. “Keep your arms and hands in.” She pulled a contraption down above him, it was like a breastplate made of streaks of metal, strands of intertwining wire and small balls. Liam put his head up to get a better look at it, but was stopped by the brunette’s hand, which pushed his head back down. “Head down. “

  


He instantly yanked his head back up, just to be stopped by her hand again. “Down” she said impatiently, his head was pushed back. “Relax and think of nothing- that shouldn’t be too hard for you” she snapped at him, as the lid of the link began to go down slowly. Liam ignored her.

  


“Initiate link” Jay sighed staring at the computer once again. The link slunk into its den gradually. In the centre of the room, Luca and a woman were overseeing Liam’s link. “Launching the woman articulated. Inside the link Liam rolled his head from side to side, taking in the little cramped space. He was grateful that he wasn’t claustrophobic.

  


“I’ve got the first congruency.” The woman stated and studied the glass screen, which showed the data of Liam’s brain. Luca took a look at the glass screen, he then supported a handheld screen, swiped his fingers over the stationary monitor and transferred the data onto his handheld screen. With this done he strode over to the viewing window, meeting Jay about halfway. “That’s a gorgeous brain, nice activity” Luca admitted. Jay looked over his shoulder sceptical. “Hmm go figure” she mumbled, and blew air from her mouth. “Phase lock, 40%” the woman called. Jay patted Luca’s shoulder and was then off to her own link. After some time, the woman called out “Phase-lock 99%, link is stable. “

  


Inside the link, Liam closed his eyes, cloaked within the silence. Suddenly he was shooting through a bright, multi-coloured tunnel. Pinks, blues, greens all tore past him in blurs, faster and faster and then everything went black.

 


End file.
